Basket-packer.



No. 698.067. Patented Apr. 22, I902.

F. H. SMITH.

BASKET PACKER.

(Applscation filed Nov. 18, 1901.1

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

' m: mam: FETERSjOO. morouma, wnsmmmmm c No. 698,067; Patented Apr. 22,I902. F. H. SMITH.

BASKET PAGKER.

rApplication filed Nov. 18 1901.1

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

1NE uonms PETERS 00.. PHOTO'LIYHO WASHINGTON u c.

UNITED STATES PATENT fission FREDERICK H. SMITH, OFNVRIGHTS, CALIFORNIA.

BAS KET-PACKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 69 ,067, dated April22, 1902; Application filed llovemher 18, 1901. Serial No. 82,637.(NoniodeL) of the box in'order to form an even layer.

and then after the box is filled tonail the lid on permanently, afterwhich the box is turned over to let the lid ,form thebottom,

. and what was at first the bottom forms the lid, which upon beingremoved exposes the layer of fruit which was initially the bottom layeras a well-appearing uniform top layer.

This plan is, however, not availablefor baskets, which are usually madewith integral bottoms, and inorder to carry out the same idea ofpresenting a well-appearing uniformtop layer in the top of the basket itis ens-- tomary to use a separate packing-tray, in which the fruit isfirstpacked, the bottom layer being uniform, and over this tray to 0telescope the basket, and then by reversing the two and removing thepacking-tray to leave the fruit in the basket with thecare fully-packedbottom layer on top. This tray is termed a basket-packer, and though itmay be made single it is usually'made of two sep-.

arable parts in order to more readily remove it from the .basket wheninverted. This packer consists, essentially, of a bottomwithcircumscribing flanges. Now in packing the o fruit-into thisconsiderable care and time must be used in filling the bottom layer.

snugly into the space between the flanges. With larger fruit or fruit inbunches, especially grapes, for the packing ofwhich my 5 invention isparticularly intended, this care and loss of time are especiallynoticeable, for

I it is difficult to get the final bunches to fit accurately and neatlyinthe remaining space. The object of my invention is to remedy '50 thisdifficulty byproviding such a construction of packer as will enable theoperator to rapidly and accurately fill the grapes neatly into theirallotted space; and to this end my invention consists in making one ofthe circumscribing flanges of the packer -or one flange of each portionof a two-part packer adjustable in such a manner that it or they can bemanipulated to leave the space in the packer open on one side during thepacking of the grapes into it, said flange or flanges being thenadjusted to first position and held in place, thus completing the packerready to invert the basket overit. Referring to the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is a view of asingle-framed packer, showing theadjustable flange down. Fig. 2 is a view of same, showing the flange upand the basket about to be inverted over it. Fig. 8 is a view of atwo-part packer, showingits adjustable flanges down. Fig. MS a similarview showing the flanges up and the basket about to be inverted oversaid packer.

In Figs. 1- and 2 I show, first, a singleframed packer. This consists ofa bottom A, having the circumscribing flanges a. Three of these arefixed, but the fourth (designated byja) is made adjustable in anysuitable manner, as by hinging it at a so that it can be turneddownoutwardly, as shown in Fig.

1., When'so' turned the grapes are. to be packed upon the'bottom,working from thel closed walls toward the open'side, and the v lastbunches put in on the open side can be rapidly placed andwithout suchcareful se- 5 "I lection as would be required if the entire bot; tomwere walled in. By allowing these last bunches to overlapthecircumscribed space I oh the open side they will be pressed in firmlyto form a complete'neat layer, when the Bin dotted lines about to beinverted and I telescoped down upon the packer. When now the parts arereversed and the packer is lifted off, the grapes are left in the basketneatly packed; but in practice, in order to more easilyremove thepackerwhen inverted,

Ioo

it is usually made of two parts, as'I showiu Figs. 3 and 4. In this formthe bottom A has comparatively low fixed flanges a, one, a, be i ingadjustable, as by hinging, as shown at r a Then loosely fitting aroundthis bottom is a separate frame 0, having taller flanges a, one ofwhich, 0, is adjustable, as by hinging, to enable it to lie down. Thehinging in this case is by means of a base-bar c pivoted in the line ofits outer edge at c in the framebars. This construction enables bothflanges a and c to lie down outwardly together and without interference,as shown in Fig. 3. When the packer is filled with the grapes, bothflanges are turned up again and lie close together and are secured bythe button a as I show in Fig. 4. In this figure I show the basket B indot-ted lines about to be inverted over the packer. Then when the partsare reversed the low-flanged bottom A readily slips away, leaving thehigh-flanged frame to be slipped off with equal facility.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A basket-packer, comprising a bottom having circumscribing flangesfixed in part, the remaining part being adjustable, to expose the bottomfrom that part only.

2. A basket-packer, comprising a bottom having circumscribing flangesfixed in part, the remaining part being adjustable, to expose the bottomfrom that part only, and

means for locking said adjustable part in an upright position. v

3. A basket-packer comprising a bottom having circumscribing lowflanges, the flange on one side being adjustable to expose the bottomfrom that side, and a separate frame about said bottom havingcircumscribing taller flanges, one of which, corresponding to theadjustable flange of the bottom, is also adjustable to expose the bottomfrom the same side.

4. A basket-packer comprising a bottom having circumscribing lowflanges, the flange on one side being adjustable to expose the bottomfrom that side, a separate frame about said bottom having circumscribingtaller flanges, one of which, corresponding to the adjustable flange ofthe bottom, is also adjustable to expose the bottom from the same side,and means for locking both adjustable flanges in an upright position.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FREDERICK H. SMITH. \Vitnesses:

JAMES MENEY, G. C. LAURENCE, R. R. BELL.

